Dunamancy (2024)

Dunamancy is the ancient and esoteric study of the magic called dunamis which is based on potentiality and probability. Dunamis was discovered independently by several nations and explored to manage and control time, gravity, and fate, removing chance from mortal actions.^[2][3]

Description[]

Dunamis is "the primal magical energy of potentiality and actuality, an anticipatory arcane force that helps shape the multiverse and might very well be what holds its elements together, like an infinite web of unseen tethers. Those who study to control and tap into Dunamancy can subtly bend the flow of time and space by controlling the forces of localized gravity, peering into possible timelines to shift fate in their favor, and scattering the potential energy of their enemies to rob them of their potency."^[3]

Caleb Widogast described it as existing "between the fabric of all other forms of power. It's one of the oldest and one of the most fundamental forces within Exandria and beyond. It has the capability of altering time, space, probability, entropy."^[4]

Dunamancy subclasses[]

• Echo knight, a fighter who masters the art of using dunamis to summon the fading shades of unrealized timelines to aid them in battle.^[5]
• Chronurgist, a wizard focused on the manipulation of time, potential, and probability.^[6]
• Graviturgist, a wizard who has learned how to affect bodies of matter, drawing them together or driving them apart.^[7]
• Path of Fundamental Chaos, a unique barbarian able to unleash dunamantic chaos with each rage. Ashton Greymoore is the only person with these abilities

History[]

The Beacons' Origin[]

When the Luxon arrived in Exandria, it discovered the Primordial titans, born from the elemental chaos. They fought, which led the Luxon to believe that there was no consciousness in the elemental chaos and that souls were lost to the darkness. The Luxon broke into scattered beacons that would enact a cycle of rebirth for those who were bound to its light in hopes that those beings would gradually learn and mature, and one day something would find and reassemble the Luxon.^[8]

Aeorian study[]

Before the Calamity, residents of Aeor found at least one Luxon beacon that provided them with a source for comprehensive research. Athodan was focused on the field of rejuvenation, working on the Factorum Malleus Project, which loosely translates in common as Hammer of Creation.^[9]

In his researh, Ayoshadaf from the Genesis Ward of Aeor explored the transmutation aspect of the artifact and influence on the passage of time. They discovered one could temporarily shunt to a point in one's history or even move beyond it, leaving an anchoring echo behind. Individuals who spent more time in the past than predetermined had their echoes fade to the point where the person would disappear.^[10] Scientists named this research the T-Dock Project or Temporal Dock.^[11]

Centuries later, Caleb Widogast and Essek Thelyss, two of the few individuals who knew of this experiment, both decided not to utilize its powers to change the drow's past mistakes or the tragic deaths of the human's parents, Leofric and Una Ermendrud; instead, the research was terminated, with Caleb casting Disintegrate to destroy everything in the chamber.^[12]

Kryn Dynasty and Consecution[]

The Kryn Dynasty has found four pieces of the body and named them the Luxon beacons. These relics became critical to the Dynasty's study of dunamancy, allowing them to learn how to manipulate gravity, entropy, and time.

After the discovery of the beacons, the principal Kryn Dynasty dens learned how to connect a soul to a Luxon beacon and named the process "consecution". When a consecuted creature dies within one hundred miles of a Beacon, its soul does not move on to the Outer Planes; rather, its soul is reborn in a newborn infant within one hundred miles of the Beacon. Around adolescence, the creature carrying the consecuted soul begins to remember their past life and be strongly drawn toward Xhorhas and the source of its returning memories.

Cerberus Assembly Research[]

In Dualahei 836 PD, the Dwendalian Empire discovered a beacon in the ruins of Shattengrod outside of Pride's Call.^[13] The Cerberus Assembly, working within the Soltryce Academy and experimenting with time and reality, also uncovered the principals of dunamancy.^[14] During their study, the Assembly hired Yeza Brenatto in Felderwin to attempt to extract the power of the dunamantic field from the beacon and distill it into a potion for millitary purposes.^[15] His experiments resulted in large areas of people surrounding the apothecary he worked in to feel sluggish or move at unnaturally fast speeds.^[16] Yeza eventually was able to distill a single vial of dunamis power and there were plans to make more, even considering the costly and time consuming process.^[17]

Trent Ikithon of the Cerberus Assembly had found some students who showed signs of being skilled at Dunamancy^[18][17] and grounded his own laboratory in the Vergesson Sanatorium, where he was conducting research on a Luxon beacon.^[19]

Independent research[]

The Mighty Nein gave the vial of distilled dunamis they recovered from the Brenatto apothecary to Essek Thelyss, who was interested in studying it. Essek also told the Nein about two known cases of time travel using Dunamancy. In one instance, the subject never returned, and in the other, the caster returned but immediately turned to dust.

Known spells based on dunamancy[]

Dunamancy utilization history[]

"Xhorhas" (2x51) After emerging from the worm tunnels into Xhorhas, the Mighty Nein were ambushed by a pack of gnolls, a Kryn Dynasty warrior, and a mage. The mage cast two dunamantic spells- Compress Gravity^[32] and Vacuum Blast.^[33]

"Domestic Respite" (2x62) Essek Thelyss taught Caleb two dunamantic spells during his visit in the episode. He mentioned spells that revolve around density and gravity (referencing the subfield of Graviturgy) as well as fate, destiny, and potentiality (referencing the subfield of Chronurgy).^[34] In the end, Caleb chose to learn about fate and Essek taught him two dunamantic spells: Fortune's Favor and Gift of Alacrity.^[35][36]

"A Tangled Web" (2x77) Essek escorted the Mighty Nein to their visit with the captive Scourger. When she attacked Caleb, Essek killed her with a dunamantic spell (likely Gravity Sinkhole). Back at the Xhorhaus, Caleb persuaded Essek to teach him two more Dunamancy spells: Immovable Object and Resonant Echo.

"Sarsaparilla, Licorice, and Red Hot" (2x127) Caleb used Gravity Sinkhole- reverse engineered from when he had seen Essek cast it- numerous times in the Mighty Nein's robbery of the Vergessen Sanitorium.

"Hunter and Hunted" (2x133) In the fight with the frost salamanders, Essek cast Magnify Gravity. In preparation for setting the Intuit Charges, Caleb and Essek both cast Fortune's Favor.

"The Streets of the Forgotten" (2x134) Essek and Caleb both cast Gravity Sinkhole during the fight with the Aeorian hunters.

"The Genesis Ward" (2x135) While investigating the Genesis Ward, the Nein found the Rejuvenation Chamber, emanating dunamis energy. When Fjord used one of the rejuvenation terminals, he got the benefit of a long rest even though only a few moments had passed. The aura of dunamis in the chamber increased strongly as time was accelerated within the cylinder. Caleb entered the cylinder but it appeared to be out of power. Essek inspected the purple gem on the second, damaged terminal and called Caleb over, pointing out that within it appeared elements of space and drifting possibilities, like a smaller, weaker Luxon beacon. Essek then used magic to destroy the cylinder, releasing the diamond-shaped dark purple gem, which he gave to Caleb.

In preparation for battle with an Aeorian nullifier, Essek used the Chronurgy subclass feature Arcane Abeyance to store the spell Lightning Bolt in a bead, which he gave to Veth.

"Where There Is a Will..." (2x138) When the Mighty Nein were concerned about having no time to rest before facing Lucien, Essek suggested using dunamancy and the crystal they had taken from the Rejuvenation terminal to create a skip in time, granting the group the benefits of a long rest. With Caleb’s help, Essek completed the experimental spell, destroying the crystal and reinvigorating the party.

"Rebirth" (2x139) In preparation for the fight with Lucien, Essek cast Fortune's Favor on himself, Caduceus, and Jester. He used Arcane Abeyance to store the Haste spell, and gave it to Yasha. During the battle itself, both wizards cast Gravity Fissure.

"Long May He Reign" (2x140) Essek cast the spells Tether Essence and Gravity Fissure in the battle with the Somnovem Omega.

"Fond Farewells" (2x141) When Trent Ikithon attacked the Mighty Nein, he was wearing a necklace of condensed dunamis energy, which he used to cast Time Stop.

"Red Moon Rising" (3x50) In 843 PD it was revealed that Ludinus Da'leth had been smuggling dunamis potions in Marquet not only to empower his allies, but also to combine that power with reverse-engineered Aeorian technology as part of the plans of the Ruby Vanguard to release Predathos.

"The Apogee Solstice" (3x51) As part of his plan during the apogee solstice Ludinus used dunamancy to speed up the hours and obtain a clear night sky with Ruidus visible, although this caused one of his arms to deteriorate and wither.

"A Gathering of Heroes" (3x76) After inspecting Ashton Greymoore's head Allura Vysoren revealed that the glass-like substance and its content were similar to a Luxon beacon, confirming that the sources of chaotic power that the barbarian used were a form of dunamancy.

Trivia[]

• "Dunamis" is the classical pronunciation of the Greek word δύναμις (dynamis), meaning "power", "potential" or "ability", and is central to the Aristotelian idea of potentiality and actuality.^[37]
• Dunamis appears to heavily rely on a notion not entirely unlike the Many Worlds Interpretation of quantum mechanics - that multiple versions of us exist based on possibilities explored or left to explore across multiple timelines. Each of the members of the Mighty Nein, save Mollymauk Tealeaf, who opted never to use the beacon, have experienced this sensation in their use of the Fragments of Possibility. However, having much more experience with this magic, the Kryn echo knights and dunamancers seem able to call upon their alternate selves to aid them in battle, in the forms of shadowy echoes.
• Matt joked with Deven Rue about how he created dunamancy out of his wish to have more time.^[38]
• Dunamancy and its unique spells are a homebrew creation of Matthew Mercer. It now appears in Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, making the spells and classes included there official content. They are part of the wizard spell list (probably reflecting how, in the Kryn Dynasty, wizards are the ones developing new uses for dunamancy), but the book itself states that it is possible for other classes to access the spells, in the right circ*mstances.
  • Interestingly, it is possible for consecuted souls to be born with innate dunamantic powers granted by the beacons.^[39]
• Although some spells (like Reverse Gravity) are not considered part of the dunamantic studies, it is believed that facets of this magic are blended in their essence.^[3] Trent Ikithon proved this by using condensed, manufactured dunamis energy to cast Time Stop.^[40]
• Matt revealed in the "Critical Role Campaign 2 Wrap Up" (Sx56) that if Essek and Caleb had failed the check to get a long rest with the dunamis crystal, rather than getting a long rest instantly, the party would have been sent one day forward instantly without any rest.^[41]

References[]

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